


growing up (is hard to do)

by efreet (orphan_account)



Category: Inazuma Eleven GO
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Gen, Post-Series, implied tsurugi/tenma (mentioned), like 5 or 6 years after galaxy or something
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2016-08-30
Packaged: 2018-08-12 02:46:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7917412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/efreet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>Shindou looks over incredulously. “You are not eating that on the couch,” he says, the look in his eyes daring Ibuki to try it. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Ibuki grins and purposefully takes a forkful of food. “Looks like I am,” he says. </em>
</p>
<p>Shindou and Ibuki share an apartment together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	growing up (is hard to do)

“There’s chicken and rice in the fridge if you want it,” Shindou says as he hears the door open at last. It’s already past eight o’clock, and he's curled up on the couch with his tablet, reading a mystery novel he’d downloaded recently. There’s a soft blanket draped over his legs, something Ibuki had brought from his university dorm. Most of the miscellaneous things lying around are Ibuki’s; Shindou’s belongings are mostly books and clothing, and the more practical things like kitchenware. The PlayStation and the TV are both Ibuki’s purchases, and although Shindou had offered to split it with him, Ibuki had insisted on paying for them both. Shindou has learned Ibuki is oddly serious about things like costs and debts, coming from a middle class family. Shindou, on the other hand, has never had to worry about money the way Ibuki has.  

“My mom always said it’s important to know where you stand,” Ibuki had told him a year ago, while they were sorting out things like the rent and utilities for the important. “It’s not like we were hurting for money, but y’know. Now that I can, I wanna pull my own weight, too,” 

Shindou understands, but he also doesn't. Living together is more complicated than he had thought it would be, not least because Ibuki leaves his laundry all over the apartment.

Ibuki kicks off his sneakers and steps into the house in his socks. “Thanks,” he says. “Did you make it?”

“Yes,” Shindou says, fixing Ibuki with a stare. He’s gotten complaints about his cooking before; apparently it’s always too bland, whereas Ibuki’s is always overly flavored (or a complete disaster). “Is there a problem?”

Ibuki holds up his hands in surrender as he makes his way through their tiny living room to the kitchen, dropping his backpack to the floor with a thud as he goes. “Nope. I’m sure it’s great,”

“Hmm,” Shindou says, and turns back to his book as Ibuki starts rifling through the fridge.

A few minutes later, Ibuki plops himself down on the free space on the couch with his dinner balanced carefully in his hands, even though the coffee table is right in front of them.

Shindou looks over incredulously. “You are _not_ eating that on the couch,” he says, the look in his eyes daring Ibuki to try it.

Ibuki grins and purposefully takes a forkful of food. “Looks like I am,” he says, shoveling down the rice like a man starved.

Shindou glares, but Ibuki doesn’t pay any attention. After a few seconds of noisy chewing, Shindou gives up. “If I find any rice left over, you’re cleaning it up,” he says darkly, and tries to go back to reading.

“Yeah, sure,” Ibuki shrugs, then takes another bite. At least he doesn’t immediately start talking with his mouth full of food. “Anyway, what’s up? How was your day?” 

Shindou heaves a sigh and regretfully puts his tablet on hold. “It was fine. We practiced for the concert next month. Ayasato is getting better with her flute solo,” he touches the blanket with his fingers, thinking. “Other than that, it’s more of the same. They haven’t assigned individual pieces yet, so everyone’s trying to outdo each other,”

“Sounds exciting,” Ibuki says brightly. “Nothing like a little orchestra drama to spice up practice, right?” Shindou rolls his eyes and ignores Ibuki’s snickering. “You gonna get a solo?”

“Yes,” Shindou says. He’s not exactly bragging, since it is very likely he will get his own piece in the concert, but he doesn’t like to say so when he’s at practice. With Ibuki, at least, he can be honest. 

As he expected, Ibuki grins. “I’m looking forward to it,” he says. Shindou knows he’s also looking forward to making fun of his formalwear, but that’s fine. It’s not like Ibuki will be dressed any differently. “You’re gonna get me a ticket, right?” he asks through a mouthful of food. Shindou gives him a look, but Ibuki doesn’t seem to notice.

“If I can. I think we’re each allowed to bring one guest,” Shindou answers, after a moment of ineffectual glaring. “Are you sure you’re going to be able to sit still for an entire concert, though?” He’s only teasing, though he knows Ibuki hates to sit still if he can help it. 

Ibuki rolls his eyes. “Yeah, I’ll probably fall asleep midway. Play extra loud so I’ll wake up for your part, all right?” he says sarcastically, waving his fork in front of Shindou’s face.

Shindou laughs, until he realizes there’s rice all over the couch. “I’m not cleaning that up,” he says flatly.

“You said that already,” Ibuki reminds him. “I told you I got it, you neat freak,”

“If we leave food out around the house, it’s likely there will be cockroaches,” Shindou tells him calmly. “Huge cockroaches. All over the house. I’m not dealing with those, either,”

Ibuki chokes on his food. “I’m _eating._ Do you mind?” he demands, scraping at the last of the chicken on the plate.

Shindou only grins at him. “Didn’t we a visit an entire planet of giant bugs once?” he asks. “And you’re afraid of cockroaches now?”

“That was a long time ago!” Ibuki protests, and Shindou laughs again.

Ibuki finishes off the last of his food and gets up to put his plate in the sink. Shindou considers going back to his book, but he ends up scrolling through his Twitter page instead. He doesn’t keep up with many people, but he still follows a good chunk of Japan’s national team, and a few friends from university.

When Ibuki comes back to the couch he’s changed into an old t-shirt and sweatpants, and he has a can of soda in one hand. It’s all so domestic that Shindou is almost surprised when Ibuki throws himself onto the cushions, casual as ever.

Of course Ibuki leans right over to get a look at Shindou’s feed.

“Anything exciting happen? Hey, there’s a pic of Tenma!” Ibuki says, jabbing his finger at the picture on the screen. It shows Tenma standing with an unfamiliar young man who’s several inches taller than him, and both of them are wearing soccer uniforms and grinning at the camera. “He looks happy,”

Shindou smiles. “He does,” he agrees. Ibuki hits the ‘heart’ button with his finger before Shindou can stop him. “Thanks,” he says dryly.

“You’re welcome,” Ibuki answers. “Hey, scroll so I can see more pictures,”

“You have your own account,” Shindou reminds him, brushing Ibuki’s hand away before he can do anything else.

“Yeah, but that’s less fun,” Ibuki says, trying to get another swipe at the screen. “Besides, you suck at keeping in contact with people. Gotta let them know you care, you know?” He dodges Shindou’s attempt to shove him away, and reaches one of his unfairly long arms over to try to tap another picture. 

Shindou gives him a look, which Ibuki completely ignores. Ibuki has a point, though. Shindou isn’t so good at keeping up with people. He’s lost touch with quite a few friends because of it, and Ibuki is always nagging him about it.

“Look, it’s that one guy,” Ibuki says, finally managing to bring up another picture, this time showing one of Shindou’s friends from university making a hideous face. Shindou gives up and lets him take control of the tablet.

They go on like that for a while, mostly pausing on people that Ibuki knows. Sometimes they come across someone from one of their soccer teams from over the years, and spend a while trying to remember who exactly they are. 

Finally, Ibuki pauses on a picture of Tenma and Tsurugi, both grinning at the camera. Tenma has his arm wound around Tsurugi’s, and the tweet is an incomprehensible string of happy emojis, hearts, and exclamation points. 

Tenma is probably the only person Shindou still keeps in touch with from middle school (not including Ibuki, of course). By extension, this means he peripherally hears a lot about Tsurugi. Tenma’s on Japan’s national team, while Tsurugi plays for a team in Germany. Apparently, they’ve finally reunited.

“Cute,” says Ibuki after a moment of them staring at the picture in silence. He hits the ‘heart’ button and Shindou lets him without a struggle. “It’s actually pretty cool,” Ibuki continues when Shindou doesn’t say anything. “That they’ve stuck together all this time,”

Shindou looks at him and smiles a little. “So have we,” he points out.

“I guess so,” Ibuki agrees, and he actually looks embarrassed. Shindou would be tempted to take a picture if his tablet hadn’t been in Ibuki’s lap.

“That doesn’t mean I’m letting you leave all this food on the couch though,” Shindou answers, stealing his tablet back. It’s too late to take a picture now, though.

Ibuki groans. “It’s like three grains of rice,”

“Three grains of rice you’re going to pick up and put in the trash,” Shindou says with a completely straight face.

“You’re the worst,” Ibuki informs him.

Shindou shoves him off the couch, and then pretends to be busy looking at something on his screen while Ibuki tries to get up from the narrow space between the couch and the coffee table.

Shindou snaps a picture of Ibuki on the floor and uploads it. It’s a pretty normal day, all in all.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> so this is embarrassing. i've never written for inazuma eleven and i swore to myself i never would but there you go. also i picked germany randomly. its ok. everyone speaks the same language in inazuma eleven tsurugi can go to germany if he wants to. i believe in him.
> 
> i have this whole little "au" planned out in my head and i hope to add a couple more oneshots to this but who knows if that will actually happen. thanks for reading in any case!


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